Kell Brook’s next fight: Amir Khan or Floyd Mayweather? Weighing up the possible contenders
What next for Kell "Special K" Brook after his impressive victory over Shaun Porter in California on Saturday night?
In one announcement of the judges' scorecard (Brook won on a majority decision) the Sheffield-born fighter was catapulted to the top table of the welterweight division and into a genuine contender to step into the ring with some of the biggest names in the sport.
According to The Ring magazine's ratings, Brook is now the number four contender in the Welterweight division. Above him sit just four fighters – Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley and the colossal, legendary names of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
In fact, after Pacquiao and Mayweather, Brook is the only fighter in the division with a world title belt in his possession. He's unbeaten in 33 fights, and won 22 of those by way of knockout. And after Saturday night's triumph, Brook can add a victory on foreign soil over a fellow top 10 contender to his rapidly expanding CV.
The beads of sweat were still dripping down the new champion's forehead when the beaming Brook turned his attentions to future opponents and, in particular, Amir Khan, while promoter Eddie Hearn has even made noises about a potential meeting with Mayweather.
We've taken a look at the big names in the division, from "King" Khan to "Money" Mayweather, and weighed up the possibility of any future meeting with the new champion of the world.
Amir "King" Khan
Record: 29-3-0 (W-L-D)
The Ring rating: 9
Fight likelihood: 4/5
The fight already on everybody's lips. Brook vs Khan, a big-name domestic bout to rival the box-office blockbusters between Carl Froch and George Groves over the last year.
After Brook's victory on Saturday, Khan said: "A fight with Kell Brook will be massive in the UK and I am not saying no. Kell thought I would say no to that fight but I am agreeing to it.
Floyd "Money" Mayweather
Record: 46-0-0
The Ring rating: Champion
Fight likelihood: 1/5
"I think you have to say Kell is now in the running to face Mayweather," boasted a proud Hearn after his fighter's latest victory.
Really? Is Brook really in contention to face the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, maybe even of all time? Even Hearn qualified his statement by admitting his fighter would have to come after any potential bout with Khan before Mayweather was a real possibility.
A December 6 meet is certainly off the cards – Hearn has said a meet in 2015 is his target, while "Pretty Boy Floyd" is more likely to retire early than slum it out at the Sheffield Arena.
Still, as surreal as it may seem that the Yorkshireman who was fighting at 12,000 capacity rugby league grounds last year could be in the same ring as one of the all-time greats, the fact is Mayweather has either dispatched most of the other top contenders in the welterweight division, or is locked out of a fight with them due to ongoing disputes between promoters.
Golden Boy Promotions, who represent Mayweather, remain at loggerheads with Top Rank, who represent Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Brandan Rios and Manny Pacquiao. As part of Hearn's Matchroom Boxing stable, Brook doesn't come with that headache, although whether that offsets his small status in the US remains to be seen.
Mayweather vs Brook? It's pretty unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao
Record: 56-5-2
The Ring rating: 1
Fight likelihood: 2/5
A fight with Manny Pacquiao would almost be as huge as any potential clash with Mayweather. This may have more legs to it, however.
On Monday Bob Arum of Top Rank promotions, said he "would love to do the fight between Brook and Pacquiao next year."
The Filipino icon currently has Chris Algieri in his sights, who he will take on in Macau in November, so any potential meeting is a long way off yet. So far, however, all the talk from Hearn and Matchroom Boxing has been focused on fighters belonging to Golden Boy Promotions – Amir Khan, Floyd Mayweather.
If Hearn and Brook do go down the Golden Boy path, it could make any future deals with rivals Top Rank harder to negotiate.
Keith "One Time" Thurman
Record: 23-0-0
The Ring rating: 7
Fight likelihood: 4/5
Before Brook had dispatched with Shaun Porter on Saturday night, Keith Thurman had announced to the world that he would happily take on the winner of the fight, citing Amir Khan as another potential option.
Since Brook's victory, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy promotions, has said on Twitter that Thurman, who has no future opponent lined up, told him he would go the UK to fight Brook on his home turf.
Talked to @KeithThurmanJr last night and said he will go to the UK and challenge @SpecialKBrook
— Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) August 17, 2014
Thurman may be a relative youngster at 25, but he has rapidly risen to prominence thanks to 21 knockout victories in 23 fights and would represent a true test of Brook's credentials in his first defence of his IBF title.
Leonard " The Lion" Bundu
Record: 31-0-2
The Ring rating: –
Fight likelihood: 4/5
Leonard Bundu may not be in the same fame bracket as the rest of the fighters on this list, but he may be the pugilist most guaranteed to be in the ring with Brook at the Sheffield Arena on December 6.
Bundu toppled the previously unbeaten Frankie Gavin at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton earlier this month, and the Italian will fancy his chances of causing another upset on foreign soil against Brook.
Like Thurman, Bundu gives Brook the chance to build up his standing in the division by defending his title against serious opposition. Bundu, who is European welterweight champion, is an experienced fighter who has never been beaten. Brook vs Bundu may not be the mega-payday of a big domestic clash like Brook vs Khan, but he is well-known to British boxing fans, and may be the best option for the December fight, with Dan Ion the second best bet.
Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley
Record: 31-1-0
The Ring rating: 2
Fight likelihood: 3/5
Kell Brook has already had the chance to face former dishwasher turned boxer Timothy Bradley. According to Brook, he was offered the chance to take on the American in 2012, as Bradley looked to defend his WBO welterweight crown.
However, Brook turned the offer down, deciding to focus on his pursuit of the IBF title – a decision ultimately vindicated on Saturday evening.
The man nicknamed "Desert Storm" is currently nursing a calf injury sustained in his recent loss to Pacquiao and is eyeing up a return for November/December. It could be perfect timing for Brook, but it remains to be seen if Bradley would accept any challenge after being previously spurned.